Despite the temporary closure of the Owl Woods on Amherst Island there was lots of raptor activity reported this week. Two Merlins were seen; one in the north end of the city last Sunday and another on Wolfe Island on Monday. The concentration of hawks on Amherst continues; 20 N. Harrier, 20 Red-tailed and 13 Rough-legged Hawks last Saturday. Much smaller Simcoe Island had 4 Rough-legged, and 3 Red-tailed as well as 2 Snowy Owls on Sunday. Other Snowy Owls reported included 2 on Wolfe Island and singletons out the Bath Road and at Elevator Bay. There was a Golden Eagle at Frontenac P.P. on the 23rd and 2 Bald Eagles on Wolfe on the 24th. There were several reports of Am. Kestrel and Sharp-shinned Hawk. It has been a good week for N. Shrikes; 2 on Amherst on Saturday, 1 on Simcoe on Sunday, another on Wolfe on Monday and one more near Seeley's Bay yesterday.
Waterfowl numbers are still quite good with lots of scaup, mergansers and Tundra Swans. The most noteworthy sightings included 24 Snow Geese on Wolfe last Sunday, 2 Mute Swans on Wolfe and a Brant on the penitentiary property on Monday. The Eurasian Wigeon was still present at the beginning of the week. There was also a Double-crested Cormorant on Wolfe on Monday. White-winged gulls have begun to arrive; an Iceland and a Glaucous at Bath on Monday and another immature Glaucous at a dump in the old Pittsburgh Township. Lingering migrants for the winter listers include a Red-breasted Nuthatch, a Brown Creeper and a Song Sparrow at a Bedford Mills feeder, 6 Red-winged Blackbirds on Amherst last Saturday, a Swamp Sparrow on Wolfe on Sunday, a Wilson's Snipe on Wolfe and 6 Killdeer near Bath on Monday and 4 Eastern Bluebirds near Seeley's Bay yesterday. Cheers, Peter Good Kingston Field Naturalists 613 378-6605 _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
